The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-07-07


money. Having obtained assistance
he returned to the spot where he lief
the murdered stranger. but, instead o
finding him, he discovered, that durins
his absence, the body had been stripped
and removed, and. as he believed
buried. and the clothes were lying
scattered about the ditch.
Suarez listened to all with an amused
smile, and when the man had finished
his story Suarez observed that the
group of men were casting inquisitivt
looks at him, and he heard the word;
dollars" and "blood" whispered
among the men. At length the man
who first approached Suarez left hi:
companions, and going out of the inn
returned shortly after with Il constable,
and without further ceremony handed
Suarez over in charge of the official,
who Immediately proceeded to search
his prisoner. When the prisoners puls
containing the money was produced
the man who found the murdered
stranger set up shout, and fixing his
eyes on the blood on the prisoner S
face, said he was sure he was the MUIR
derer and robber, and at the proper
time would tell all about it. No as
scrtion or explanation of Suarez could
serve him one jot, and he was finally
conveyed to the jail and locked up.
The next day Suarez was conducted
after much peril into the presence of
the village magistrate. His accuser
was placed before him, and in blunt,
straightforward manner told his story
how he was passing along the road;
how he found the stranger with a
fractured skull lying dead, and covered
with blood and brains; how he went. for
assistance, and on his return found the
clothes scattered about and the body
removed. Suarez's own money and
his own blood on his face was given in
evidence against him; the story was
complete in all its details, and the
investigation ended in the prisoner be-
ing committed to the county jail to
await trial for the willful murder of a
person unknown. and the constable
was ordered to make diligent search
for the body.
Shortly after his commitment, as if
all circumstances cOnspired against
him, the people, after an active search,
succeeded in discovering the body of a
strange person, almost in state of
nudity, in canal, which ran along
the back of the town, upon which the
coroner sat in due form; and thus, to
the satisfaction of his prosecutors. a
chain of evidence was made out suffi-
GENTLY strong to put Suarez on trial
Let those good people, who preach
so strongly in favor of the comfortable
feelings arising from conscious in
nocence. and build so much on inward
fortitude, and who join in the declar-
alton of the poet that ''what is, is
right" let them place themselves for
a moment in Suarez's position-let
them feel the horrors of a man charged
with his own murder. and unable to
convince the judges that he is actually
in existence. How obtuse are the in
tellects of many worthy people, who,
in the eager pursuit of truth, hug to
their hearts any antic that may chance
to assume the garb of that rarely dis
covered personage!
Already Suarez fancied in his gloomy
reflections that he heard the jury de-
clare him guilty; and in his dreams he
saw the fatal black cap placed over his
head. Then he fancied he heard his
last dying speech and confessions
chanted about the streets. and posted
on cottage walls, and children taught
from reading them the necessity of viz
tue Then horrors of an ignominious
death-the hater-the gallows-the
shouts of monster" murderer" etc.,
all echoing around him in his magma
ton.
At length the accused man was
placed on trial. His own conviction of
his personal identity was complete, but
would it avail him any thing? The story
on which be had to depend was nothing
in the face of the evidence to be ad-
duced. Should he be allowed to set up
himself as the murderd man, when the
witness saw him dead, and the body
was afterward found in the canal? 1t
was contrary to common sense, and
would. of course, be looked upon as the
desperate attempt of the hardened
villain to battle the ends of justice. The
trial proceeded. The audience shud-
dered rs they heard the glaring facts.
And, oh! what looks of horror and re-
prOach were cast at the prisoner! Pref
udice. with her myriad ears, was gap
ing on. and gulping down the palpable
story. The witnesses gave their evil
dence with clearness and precision. The
landlord of the little public house where
Suarez first stopped was called to prove
his having seen the dollars in the
possession of the murdered man when
at his house. During all the previous
proceedings this man had never before
looked at Suarez face to face; but when
he was confronted with him he gave
an involuntary start, and seemed I'M
able to utter syllable. He fixed his
eyes intently on the prisoner. and point
ing to his own cheek, stammered out:
HE is not guilty! he is not guilty."
Hearing this exclamation, and seeing
hila point to his cheek, Suarez remen-